Planet of the BisexualsWritten and Performed by David Chapman
Bailiwick Repertory Theatre, Pride Series 2005

David Chapman

Though it’s now common to refer to the “gay community” as the “gay/Lesbian/bisexual/transgendered community”, in practice it seems
the bisexual segment doesn’t get much attention in the media or the
arts. This year’s Bailiwick Pride series addresses that inequity by
including David Chapman’s part autobiographical, part metaphysical
solo show. He tells of being chastised by a straight woman with the
taunt “What planet are you from?” after his failed attempt to arrange
a three-way between the two of them and a gay guy. Chapman’s answer to
the audience is that, given the reluctance of both gays and straights
to accept bisexuality, perhaps Earth is a planet of the “monosexuals.”
In his tight 70-minute performance, Chapman gives some entertaining
insights into the unique and not-so-unique aspects of growing up bi.

Straight and gay audiences alike will identify with much of
Chapman’s experiences, whether the first stirrings of sexual
attraction (Chapman’s were for a another boy in junior high), or first
sexual experience (Chapman’s were for a girl in high school). He makes
the case that the process of accepting a sexual orientation that
differs from the norm is further complicated by the seemingly
conflicting urges of attraction to both genders. Though at the time
of Chapman’s adolescence homosexuality had become recognized as a
specific orientation, he shows how society’s more limited recognition
of bisexuality increased his confusion when he didn’t seem to fit
neatly into either of society’s two more accepted categories of sexual
orientation.

With the help of director Michael Fosberg, Chapman makes his case
and tells his stories with a highly kinetic and visual performance.
Whether he’s sketching out the Kinsey scale on his three chalkboards
(he’s a teacher in his day job, and it shows), bouncing between two
cube platforms to demonstrate the “chasm” between hetero and
homo-sexuality, or taking a fanciful space flight to his bisexual
“Planet X” with the help of flashing lights around the proscenium, his
stage pictures help tell the story and make the event more theater
than stand-up.

The solar system is the metaphor for his journey, as each of the
planets, starting with those closest to the sun represent a person or
phase in his journey to acceptance. As he begins each segment he
attaches a planet to a magnet hanging from the flies, recreating the
solar system on stage (a lamp doubles as the sun). It’s a good
metaphor that gives the piece structure and an identifiable arc.

Planet of the Bisexuals is funnier than it may sound here.
Chapman understands the irony present in the human journey toward
understanding one’s sexuality and making feeble attempts to put these
understandings into practice with others. He’s an energetic and
capable performer, even if he does tend to overuse an emphatic and
urgent tone and sometimes steps on his own lines. Still, it’s an
impressive effort for a young performer/writer to hold an audience for
a solo show, and particularly to make us listen to his insightful
observations on a sexual orientation which many may believe is no more
real than his imagined planet.

Planet of the Bisexuals runs through June 19th, with
performances Thursdays at 8 p.m., Fridays at 9:15 p.m., Saturday at 6
p.m. and Sunday at 5 p.m. through June 19. Tickets are $15. Remaining
shows ion the Bailiwick Pride series include Marlowe, opening
June 12, and the musical A Kiss for Alexander, opening July
7th. Bailiwick Theatre is at 1229 W. Belmont, Chicago. Tickets can
be purchased by calling the Box Office at 773-883-1090 or online at
www.bailiwick.org.